Jethmalani-led Kashmir Committee to hold talks with separatists, political parties

New Delhi: Even before the interlocutors on Kashmir appointed by the Centre could submit their report on Kashmir, a non-government Kashmir Committee has come forward to do a reality check in the Valley.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer and BJP MP Ram Jethmalani, who heads the six member committee formed ten years back, says the committee is completely apolitical.

Jethmalani contends that no assessment of the situation in the Valley would be complete until a proper dialogue with the separatists takes place. In that context, Jethmalani termed the exercise being carried out by the Padgaonkar-led team unsatisfactory as the separatists refused to have a dialgue with the government appointed panel.

Other members of the commiitte include Madhu Kishwar, former law minister Shanti Bhushan, senior journalist MJ Akbar, ex-foreign secretary Vinod Grover and Pulwama journalist Wahidurrahman.

Vinod Grover informed that the committee would begin the dialogue process from May 5.

Four days before the tour, all mainstream political parties in the Valley along with separatists were contacted for meeting and all of them including Huriyat leader Geelani have agreed to give audience, he added.